Kia K900 Gets LeBron James as Brand Ambassador

Kia's luxury brand is taking off with its K900 model. Now the South Korean auto manufacturer has signed a huge sponsorship deal to promote the K900 in the U.S.

Kia has announced that NBA star LeBron James is now the official "luxury ambassador" for the Kia K900. James has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Kia Motors, which is also the "official automotive partner" of the NBA.

"I was a Kia K900 driver and fan before we decided to become partners, so I'm really excited to be Kia's first-ever luxury ambassador," said James. "This partnership is about the power of great style and performance. Kia and the K900 are out to challenge conventional wisdom and show people how to think differently, and I can relate to that. For me, a partnership has to be authentic and real to who I am, and that's what makes this one so special."

According to Kia, James was chosen as brand ambassador partly for the athlete's pre-existing love for the K900. In August James posted interior pictures of the K900 prominently featuring the Kia logo to his Instagram account. The post was accompanied by James' expression of love for the vehicle:

A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Aug 8, 2014 at 8:20am PDT

James is now one of a handful of athletes that are ambassadors for Kia brands. Other athletes with sponsorship deals include NBA star Blake Griffin, tennis star Rafael Nadal, and golf star Michelle Wie.

"As fans of the game of basketball, we were honored to learn that one of today's most influential athletes and tastemakers recognized something different was going on at Kia and wanted to check out our new flagship sedan," said Tim Chaney, VP of marketing at Kia Motors America. "Like Kia, LeBron James does not want to be confined by conventions or traditional definitions, and as our K900 luxury ambassador his star power will cause people to question everything they think they know about our brand."